Eight Years and a Day
by Anne T.M
Summary: It is the first anniversary of Voyager's triumphant return to earth. Starfleet is throwing the crew a formal party with all the required dignitaries and brass to make the occasion as stuffy as ever but Captain Janeway has a few plans of her own to change the course of the evening


Disclaimer: Paramount owns all the characters.

Synopsis: It is the first anniversary of Voyager's triumphant return to earth. Starfleet is throwing the crew a formal party with all the required dignitaries and brass to make the occasion as stuffy as ever but Captain Janeway has a few plans of her own to change the course of the evening.

 **Rated NC-17**

 **Eight Years and a Day**

By: Anne T.M.

February 2003

"Wow! What a dress!"

"Do you like it, Tom?"

"Like it! It is as incredible as the lady who is wearing it!"

"You always were a charmer, Mr. Paris." She winked at him and added, "I'm glad to see you haven't changed."

Tom handed her a drink that he had just grabbed from a passing waiter. They stood rooted just inside the entranceway to the grand ballroom. He watched her as her eyes roamed the crowd. "Looking for any one in particular or are you just mapping out your strategy for working the room?"

Kathryn threaded her arm through his and tugged him into the room. "I will not be working the room tonight. I plan on making this a completely social occasion. I am only spending time with members of my crew. I am going to sit at a different table for each course of the meal and talk with them. I want to hear what everyone has been doing for the past year. I believe my first stop is table number four."

Tom smirked as they headed toward Harry Kim and his parents. "I guess you already know about Harry, _Admiral._

Kathryn patted his hand. "Jealous, Tom? I thought you were happy right where you are, with your feet firmly planted on the ground?"

"I am, for now. Before I relinquish you to the Kim's I want to know how much we rate. What course will you be eating with B'Elanna and me?"

"You two are definitely the main course!"

Tom leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I can only guess who gets dessert. But if I am not mistaken this dress will get his attention the minute he walks through that door!"

"I don't know what you mean!" She separated from him and dashed off to sit at table number four. Tom just shook his head and laughed. Sometimes those two were worse than children. Would they ever stop playing games and just cut to the chase? Tom turned and walked toward his wife who herself looked pretty damn good in that little black dress.

"Harry, Mr. And Mrs. Kim, may I join you?" The men at the table jumped up upon her arrival. "Please, sit down. I was hoping that I could sit with you and enjoy the first part of the dinner." She sat down and was introduced to everyone at the table. It seemed that Harry had brought his mother and father and three aunts and uncles. She graciously answered all their questions and regaled them with stories of Harry's deeds in the Delta Quadrant. As expected, Harry blushed throughout the entire conversation. "Well, it has been a pleasure but I believe I need to spread myself around." She turned toward Harry's extended family, "It was an honor to meet you. Mr. and Mrs. Kim, it was a pleasure to see you once again."

"Captain, perhaps I could escort you to your next stop."

"That would be wonderful, Harry."

He excused himself and walked with the Captain across the room. "I am sorry, Captain. You must be sick to death of telling stories. It's just that they…"

Kathryn stopped him by placing her hand on his arm. "Harry, it was the least I could do." Their eyes met and Harry relaxed. "I am glad you offered to walk with me. I wanted to congratulate you. Do your parents know?"

"No, I am having a hard time telling them that I am going into space again. Even though it is irrational, I know they will worry that I will disappear again! They have enjoyed me being home."

"It not irrational, Harry. It's love. You'll have to tell them sooner or later. It will be hard to keep a posting like that a secret. From what I hear, Captain Riker asked for you personally. Have you met him yet? I think he is here."

Harry blushed again. "Yes, I met him and his wife. It was kind of strange."

They stood beside the table where Mr. Ayala sat with his sons. "What do you mean?"

"I just think it will be difficult to serve for another Captain, let alone a married one who has an empathic wife!"

Kathryn laughed. The sound was deep and rich and Harry couldn't help but smile himself. It crossed his mind that he rarely heard her laugh when they were on Voyager. "It may seem strange but I would think that you are used to that by now. After all, your best friend is married to a Klingon!"

"You're right, Captain. Add to that a Talaxian and a former Borg as crewmates and strange may seem mild to me." He reached out to shake her hand.

She took it and used it to pull him close. She went up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Godspeed, Harry." Then she turned and sat down at the table they had reached. "Lt. Ayala, who are these handsome men that you brought with you?"

He stood up and motioned for his boys to do the same. "Captain, these are my sons, Michael and Sean." Both boys shook her hand and awkwardly waited for some indication from their father as to what to do next. "I would like to join you for a while if that is okay with you boys. I don't want to interrupt your time with your dad."

The boys looked at each other and sat down. Kathryn sat and watched Ayala closely. Something wasn't right.

"Your table looks a little empty. Who is missing?"

"Samantha and Naomi are sitting with us. They should be back any minute. I think they just went to the lady's room." He paused and eyed his boys who were fidgeting in their seats. "Did you know that Sam is expecting again?"

"No, I didn't. That's wonderful news! I can't wait to speak to her."

"The other seats are for Tuvok and his family but I understand he is not coming."

"No, he is not. It seems that his youngest son decided to get married. It's all rather rushed, especially for a Vulcan ceremony but he is marrying a human." They both laughed at her implication. "Tuvok is pleased, for a Vulcan that is. He assured me that it is a very good match." Kathryn could tell that the boys were bored. So, she wasn't surprised when Michael stood up and asked his father if he could go get some soda. Sean immediately joined him. She watched the boys go and heard the man next to her sigh. Though they had never been close while they were aboard the ship she felt a connection to him through his friendship with Chakotay. "What's wrong?"

He ran his hand through his thick black hair. He had not been able to talk to anyone about his children. Chakotay had asked many times but for some reason he did not want to tell him. Maybe his pride was getting in the way. There was something in the Captain's voice that broke through to the ache in his heart. "It is just so hard. I don't know how to be their father. In fact, they don't need a father. They live with a man who has been their father for the past three years. I am useless to them. All they see when they look at me is the man who left them."

"Surely they know that you did not leave them by choice."

"Michael remembers the Maquis. He was four. He remembers moving from place to place. Nothing was ever permanent in his life but his mother. I was more like the absent hero, off saving the world from destruction. At three and four that fantasy worked very well but now he sees me as the man who abandoned him and his mother. Sean did not even remember me."

Kathryn leaned a little closer. "I am so sorry. How is your wife with all of this?"

"You mean my ex-wife. She has not done anything to turn them against me if that is what you mean but deep down I think she resents me too. I can't say I blame her. She went through some pretty bad times when the authorities searched for the Maquis. Truth be told she would probably have been happier if I never returned. I think my boys may feel the same way."

"I don't believe that. Maybe they just need to rediscover the hero in you."

At that moment, the boys returned. One boy had three sodas in his hands while the other held a cup and saucer. "We brought you a cup of coffee. Our father told us it was always your favorite."

She gingerly took the cup. "I have been dying for a hot cup of coffee. You boys are my heroes. It must run in the family."

Michael turned his attention sharply to the Captain. "What do you mean, it must run in the family?"

Kathryn looked at the boys in astonishment. "Haven't you heard any stories about what your father did when he was on Voyager?" Both boys looked at their dad and shook their heads no. "Well there are so many things. I don't know which one to tell you. I know! Would you like to hear about the day he saved my life? We were taking a shuttle down to the surface of a moon. We were going to mine some minerals but something horrible happened. The shuttle got caught in a violent storm and crashed on the moon. When I woke up just about everything in the shuttle was damaged. My head hurt and I was freezing. Almost immediately I blacked out again. To make a long story short your father gave me most of his clothes and did everything he could to keep me warm and alive. Without him I would have died." Kathryn looked at all three of them and saw a new light in each of their eyes. "It was fun talking to you but I promised Tom that I would visit with him for a while. Please tell Sam and Naomi that I will see them later."

The oldest boy was the first to speak. "It was very nice to talk to you too."

"Yes, it was fun to hear about my dad's adventures. No one usually tells us anything. They think we are too young!" Sean added.

Captain Janeway bent down until she was at eye level with the boy. "I am going to tell you something very important. Do you think you can remember it? Good! My personal communication address is goldenbird511.73. If you every want to talk or hear some more stories about your dad you just contact me and we will have a nice long chat. Okay?" Sean smiled radiantly at her. She stood up and without thinking gave her former security guard a hug.

As he hugged her back he whispered his thanks to her. "Thank you, Captain." Then he added, "Maybe next time you can even tell them the truth."

"Sometimes a good lie is better than the truth."

"A Starfleet Admiral quoting the Ferengi, interesting. Just don't let the big guy hear that I was practically naked in your company. I wouldn't want him to kill me!" She left him with smile on his lips and in his heart.

As she headed toward Tom and B'Elanna's table Owen stopped her and tried to steer her toward the head table where there was a seat reserved for her. She told him no and continued with her plan. She scanned the room once again and saw Chakotay talking to Chell. They were crossing paths all night but never quite meeting. "Tom, B'Elanna, I hope you saved me a seat."

"Of course, Captain. It may be crowded but there is always room for you. I believe you know my sisters and their husbands." Once the greetings were completed they all settled down to eat.

"Where did you get that dress?"

"Do you like it B'Elanna?"

"I don't think it matters what _I_ think, but yes, I do! The color is perfect and it seems to be slit in all the right places. I guess after seven years of black and red all purpose, blue silk is much better than a dress uniform."

"As I told Tom earlier I decided to treat tonight as a social occasion. I think Owen is a little annoyed but he'll get over it. But enough about the dress - what's new since I spoke to you last month?"

"Did you hear? The Doctor is writing a book."

Kathryn groaned. "Not another depiction of life on Voyager."

"No, this one is going to be about him. "A Holo-Doctor in the World of Humans."

"I'm sure it will be a big hit!"

They all took a few bites of their dinner before Tom spoke up again. "Did you know that Seven took a civilian assignment on a deep space vessel that is headed for the Beta Quadrant?" B'Elanna gave her husband a scathing look. He looked at Kathryn and saw her fork frozen in midair. "Oh, I'm sorry."

She waved her hand at him. "Don't be ridiculous. I want to hear about all of the crew, including Seven. But I do think that that is a strange assignment for her to take given all the opportunities that she has turned down."

Tom continued eating and talking. "Not really. I think she is hoping to find Axum. After her break up with Chakotay I think…"

B'Elanna interrupted her husband's ramblings with news of her own. "Kathryn, did you know that we are expecting again?"

Kathryn was relieved at the change of subject and immediately reached out and hugged B'Elanna. "That is wonderful! I am so happy for both of you. Ayala told me that Sam is expected too. You'll have to get together and compare notes."

B'Elanna continued the conversation attempting to stop Tom's stupidity in the process. "What about you? Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"Not yet. Every time I make a decision I think of ten reasons to go the other way. It's a great honor but right now I am leaning toward no."

"You would be the first Admiral to actually have her own ship."

"I know but I don't know if I am ready to command a starship again. I can't believe I am saying this but I like my desk job."

"I know exactly what you mean. We both thought we would miss it. I was worried about Tom. You know how much he loves flying, not to mention the danger, but we both like being settled. I guess we are getting older."

"Not older sweetheart, just better!" Tom leaned over and kissed his wife. "I've thought about it a lot this past year. My father must ask me once a week about my future. I think that after being on Voyager for so long no other posting seems exciting enough to leave my family and friends. It will just never be the same and I'd rather keep those memories fresh than dull them with new experiences. So, at least for now, I will remain earth bound designing and testing new ships. Anyway, pretty soon it will be time for those midnight feedings."

B'Elanna slapped his arm. "Like you ever did any of those!"

Kathryn couldn't help but laugh. This is what she missed most, the camaraderie between her crew. But like Tom she knew it would never be the same on another ship. "What do you expect? He is a man after all." The women exchanged a knowing look.

Then Tom added his two cents. "I don't think all men are like that. In fact, here comes one now who I bet would love to get up for midnight feedings."

They both turned around and saw Chakotay heading their way. Kathryn's breath caught in her throat. He looked stunning in his dress blue uniform. He hadn't made three steps toward their table before one of the dignitaries present grabbed him and steered him toward the head table. He cast a look in their direction to let them know that he was stuck.

"If you'll excuse me." They watched her leave the ballroom.

B'Elanna huffed. "I can't believe she just left like that. What is wrong with her?"

Tom watched Chakotay as he spoke to the President of the Federation. "Apparently the old man is keeping pretty good company these days." He shrugged his head toward the two men.

"Maybe, but we both know he would rather be sitting here with her. When I talked to him last week all he talked about was the Captain. He was very nervous about seeing her again after everything that happened. Actually, I think that is the only reason he agreed to bring his ship in from deep space and now she just runs away. I don't get those two."

"I think something's going on."

"What do you mean?"

"Look." Once again, he directed her attention to where Chakotay was standing. The waiter stood next to him while Chakotay read from a PADD that the man had just handed him. They both smiled when he excused himself and headed for the door. "I think it just may be time for dessert!"

Chakotay entered the dark empty banquet room on the second floor. "Kathryn?"

Two hands grabbed him and spun him around until he was pushed against the wall. The same hands slid up the front of his uniform until they rested on his shoulders.

"Welcome home, Captain." Her one hand continued up his body until her index finger reached his jaw. She slowly traced the lines of his handsome face.

He was sure that he was dreaming. He was trapped between the wall and her heavenly body, which was pressed against his. Her one hand was tracing the dark lines on his temple while her other one was trying to slip under his jacket. "Kathryn, I…" He felt her finger move to his lips.

"Shhh. I think eight years of talking is quite enough."

His eyes darkened even further at the implication of her words. In response, he opened his lips and gently sucked her finger inside the warm cavern of his mouth. She leaned in even closer rubbing her stomach against his growing firmness. A loud groan rumbled deep in his throat as she wiggled against him. She popped her finger out of his mouth and grabbed the back of his neck and forced his lips to hers. There was no gentleness in their meeting, only hunger. Years of pent up frustration poured out as their tongues violently dueled. He felt her pulling on his jacket. She was desperately trying to reach some skin.

He grabbed her upper arms and pushed her away from him. He bent over and attempted to catch his breath. He was still heaving when he tried to speak. "Kathryn, you can't rip my uniform. I don't have anything else to wear. I was not prepared." He saw the slight pout emerge on her face. With unbelievable speed and dexterity, he reversed their positions and pinned her to the wall. "You, on the other hand, are very well prepared in that dress. It was a wonderful decision to forgo your dress uniform." He ran his index finger down the opening in the front of her dress. His fingers slide down the soft valley between her breasts. "It seems to be cut in just the right places. And if I am not mistaken," he said as he was running his hand down her back and resting it on her rear, "there is little on underneath to hinder our progress. And believe me I have been looking!" He nudged her legs apart and settled his muscular thigh between them. As he took off his jacket he rocked back and forth forcing her to gently ride across his thigh.

Carefully he folded his jacket and laid it on the nearby chair. He felt the rise and fall of her chest as he leaned in to kiss her once again. Holding her hands, he guided her to the bottom of his shirt. Together they tugged to free the material. Once it was loose he took her hands and placed them on his bare chest. "Is that what you wanted?"

Breathlessly she answered, "Oh yes, for years it's all I've wanted."

"Me too." He slid her dress off of her shoulders and exposed her breasts. Her eyes closed as he lowered his head. "You are more beautiful than I imagined." The next few minutes were spent in frantic movements. Each of them reached and grabbed in desperation, for both feared that at any moment reality would intrude and their normal state of frustration would return. When her hand touched the bulge in his pants he collapsed against her. His head was buried in her hair. "Spirits Kathryn, I have waited a lifetime for this moment." He shuddered and groaned as she continued her ministrations.

"I think we have waited long enough." She slipped her thumbs into the waistband of his pants and yanked them down exposing him to the cool air. It felt good on his burning skin.

"In all the years that I fantasized about our first time together I never pictured it up against the wall in the San Francisco Grand Ballroom." While he spoke, his hand ran up the inside of her thigh.

She gasped when his fingers reached their destination. "Where did you picture it?"

He was breathing heavily as his one hand stroked her below the waist and the other stroked her face. "Just about everywhere else but you deserve better than a quick bang against the wall!"

"I have more than what I deserve and I want you here and now! We have put off our own desires for too long." She grabbed his erection and pulled him toward her. She lifted her leg and wrapped it around him drawing him in. She felt him begin to penetrate her just as the band started playing. "Shit!"

He pulled back immediately. "What? Did I hurt you?"

The love in his eyes and the concern in his voice nearly made her cry. She took his face between her hands and pulled him down into a gentle kiss. "No, you did not hurt me. But do you hear the music? That means that the official ceremony will begin shortly and I think our absence will be quite obvious."

Chakotay pulled her eager body toward his burning desire. "We waited years for them. They can wait a few minutes for us." With that said he entered her in one deep thrust. "You are mine now and forever." A fever blazed throughout his entire body as he pushed in and out of her. The same feeling must have hit her too because she countered each of his movements. In a matter of seconds each was trying to hold in the scream that burned in their throats. When his mind cleared he realized what a jerk he had been. "Kathryn, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so…fast, so adolescent. I promise the next time it will be better… I mean longer," He was stumbling over his words. He felt like he was sixteen again. "I mean more enjoyable."

She stood up and started to rearrange her clothes. "Chakotay, let me say a few things for the record. First of all, it was very enjoyable, more than enjoyable. It was perfect because it was you. Second of all, I was yours from the first moment you walked on my bridge. And finally, I think eight years of foreplay is more than a girl has the right to expect." Even in the dark she could see the dimples that she loved so much.

They both finished dressing. Reluctantly, they headed toward the elevator. Once the doors closed he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her one last time. "Next time we'll use a bed and I will make love to you slow and easy all-night long."

"I think that can be arranged. Let's say about three hours from now in my hotel room." He confirmed the date with a quick kiss.

They agreed that she would sneak in first. Neither one was ready to answer questions that they had not even discussed. Kathryn walked across the room and joined the dignitaries near the stage. The ceremony was about to start and she was supposed to be the second speaker.

From his table Tom watched as his Captain crossed the room. Something about her was different. She was limping just a little and even though she was talking to one of the dullest admirals in the quadrant she was smiling from ear to ear. Tom looked back toward the door in time to see Chakotay enter. He stopped just inside and leaned against the jam. The look on his face reminded Tom of a something his mother used to say. 'You look like the cat that just swallowed the canary.' Yes, something definitely was going on and it was about damn time as far as he was concerned. He had a feeling that life in the Alpha Quadrant had just gotten infinitely better for two of his closest friends.

The End


End file.
